Ice tray



D. L. JOCELYN Jan. 10, 1950 ICE TRAY Filed Sept. 17, 1945 N mN INVENTOR.

Patented Jan. 10, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ICE TRAY Douglas L. Jocelyn, Detroit, Mich.

Application September 17, 1945, Serial No. 616,836

for locating and positioning the receptacles with 1 respect to the supporting frame structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a liquid freezing device embodyin an improved receptacle supporting framework.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved freezing receptacle, preferably formed or molded from plastic material, and adapted to be mounted in a supporting frame structure or tray for convenient use in a refrigerator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a liquid freezing tray, such as an ice tray for use in a refrigerator, constructed in improved manner so that any suitable number of individual molds or receptacles may be used with the frame of the tray.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a tray frame carrying a number of individual liquid receiving receptacles 0r molds constructed in accordance with one embodiment. of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially through lines 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a section taken substantially through lines 3--3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Before explaining in. detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited inits application to. the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of. other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention herein illustrated by way of example, the tray 7 Claims. (Cl. 62108.5)

frame for receiving the cupsor receptacles 24 55 may be made of suitable material. In the present instance, by way of example, the frame is pressed or drawn from a single sheet or blank of material such as sheet steel or aluminum. The sheet material is pressed into the form of a pan or tray having a bottom 21 terminating in spaced longitudinally extending upwardly inclined sides 28 merging into upright inclined end walls 29 at opposite ends of the basin portion of the tray or pan. One of the upright end walls merges into a handle 30 integral therewith and-shaped in the manner similar to the handle I! in the previous embodiment. Thus, the receptacle supporting frame is in the form of a pan or tray and the upright inclined side-walls 28 and 29 extend continuously around the four sides of the tray basin and joined by the bottom 21.

The tray frame is divided into individual receptacle receiving spaces by means of grid forming ribs integrally formed in the bottom .and surrounding side walls of the frame. The bottom 21 is provided with a longitudinally extende ing channel shaped rib 33 which extends centrally thereof from end to end of the tray. The grid forming rib 33 merges integrally at opposite ends into correspondingly shaped rib portions 33a which may extend into the opposite end Walls 29 of the tray as shown. Thus, the central longitudinal rib 33 and the extensions 33a thereof formed in the end walls 29 provide in effect a division member for dividing the pan or tray frame into two longitudinal spaces for receiving two rows of freezing receptacles'or cups 24. These longitudinal spaces are, in addition, divided transversely into individual receptacle receiving spaces. This is accomplished by forming a series of equally spaced transverse ribs 34 in the bottom 21 of the frame, each of which merges integrally into the central grid forming rib 33. The side walls 28 of the frame are also preferably formed with inwardly extending equally spaced ribs 340. which mergevinto the bottom ribs 34. Thus, the ribs 34 and 34a, which extend trans versely across the bottom of the frame and upwardly to substantially the full height of the side walls 28, provide grid members which divide the spaces at opposite sides of the division rib 33 into a number of individual receptacle receiving spaces.

In the present embodiment the tray frame is divided by the various grid members into twelve recesses or spaces for the reception of a corresponding number of ice freezing receptacles or molds 24 Each receptacle or mold 24 is preferably formed of plastic material, such as thermoplastic material, and is provided in the present instance with a substantially fiat bottom and upright side walls which may taper or incline somewhat upwardly and outwardly in order to facilitate removal of the frozen contents. The molds or receptacles are preferably generally rectangular in shape and are of a size and depth so as to produce ice cubes or blocks of desired size.

When the molds or receptacles are placed within the frame they will engage the adjacent ribs and will thereby be held in properly located positions, as illustrated, against any appreciable displacement either longitudinally or trans.- versely. Thus, it will be seen that the various rib members will not only guide the receptacles 24 into their proper positions when placed within the tray but will also form abutments preventing the receptacles from shifting out of the recesses formed by the rib members. After the receptacles have been placed in the tray they may be readily filled with water by passing the tray beneath a water faucet.

It will be noted that the construction of the tray frame with the shallow longitudinal and transverse ribs 33 and 34, which are materially less in height than the side walls, facilitates removal of the cups or receptacles with their frozen contents from the individual cup receiving recesses formed by the ribs. Since at least two sides of each recess defined by the ribs are lower than the surrounding wall of the tray the individual receptacles may be separately removed by tilting a receptacle with its frozen contents relative to and toward one of thesides of the recess.

In order to obviate any possibility of water accumulating within the tray frame either during the filling of. the receptacles or as: a result of water overflowing from the receptacles and accumulating in the bottom of the tray frame or pan, a suitable number of drainage holes of suit able size are pierced or formed in the bottom 21:. Thus, drainage holes 35 may be pierced in the bottom of the panv at opposite sides of the rib 33 in each receptacle receiving space. holes 36 may he pierced in the bottom of the pan at the base of the idewalls 28, and. in addition drainage holes 3? may be punched or pierced in the bottom 2? of the pan at opposite sides of the transverse ribs 34. drainage. holes in the bottom of. the pan within each receptacle receiving spacewill thus insure the drainage of all water from the panand pre vent water remaining in the pan" after the filling of the receptacles and freezing to the bottom therof so 'as to prevent their removal with the frozen contents.

In the use of the ice trays of the present embodiment' the empty cups or receptacles are plurality of these holes or apertures may be provided for each cup. Thus, even though'the cups of the tray are initially filled to the brim with water, the excess water will flow out of these apertures until a common level is reached in all of the'cups. The trayfmay then be transported to Similar The provision of suitable the refrigerator and placed in the freezing com partment thereof with less likelihood of the water spilling out of thecups. Moreover, the ice blocks when formed will be uniform in size and the upper surfaces thereof will be a sufiicient distance below the upper edges of the cups to permit these edges, projecting above the blocks, to be engaged readily by the fingers so as to flex the side walls outwardly when releasing the ice blocks.

I claim: v

- I. A'liguid freezing device, comprising a pan shaped tray frame formed with a continuous bottom and upwardly extending side walls, a

plurality of liquid freezing receptacles and grid members formed integrally in said bottom and side walls forming spaces for the reception of said receptacles, said bottom havin drain holes therein.

2. A liquid freezing device, comprising a panshaped tray having a continuous bottom and surrounding upright side walls, a shallow longitudinal rib formed in said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom. a distance materially less than the height of said Side walls, a series of shallow transverse ribs formed in said bottom andv extending upwardly therefrom substantially the height of said longitudinal rib, said transverse ribs merging into said longitudinal rib and having integral extensions continuing upwardly into a side wall to points materially above said longitudinal rib, and mold members receivable Within said tray and cooperating with said ribs.

7 3.. A liquid freezing device, comprising a panshaped tray having a continuous bottom and surroundin upright side Walls, a shallow longitudinal rib formed in said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom a distance materially less than the height of said side walls, a series of shallow transverse ribs formed in said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom substantially the height of said longitudinal rib, said transverse ribs merging into said longitudinal. rib and having integral extensions continuing upwardly into a side wall substantially to the upper edge thereof, and mold members receivabl within said tray and engaging said ribs.

7 4. A liquid freezing device, comprising. a panshaped tray havinga continuous bottom and surrounding upright .sidewalls, a shallow longitudinal rib formed in said bottom and extending. upwardly therefrom a distance materially less than the height of said side walls, a series of shallow transverse ribs formed in said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom substantially the height of said longitudinal rib, said transverse ribs merging into said longitudinal rib and having integral. extensions continuing upwardly into said side walls to points materially above said longitudinal rib, said transverse ribs and the extensions thereof being substantially uniform in cross-section, and mold members receivable in. said tray and cooperating with said ribs.

5. A liquid freezing. device,.comprising a panshaped tray having acontinuous bottom and surrounding upright side walls, a shallow longitudinal rib formed in said bottom and extending upwardly therefroma distance materially less than the height of said side walls, a series of shallow transverse ribs formed in said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom substantially the height of said longitudinal rib, said transverse ribs merging into said longitudinal rib and having integral extensions continuing upwardly into said side walls to points materially above said longitudinal rib, said transverse ribs and the extensions thereof being substantially uniformdn cross-section and forming with said longitudinal rib mold receiving spaces, and a plurality of individual mold members fitting into said spaces and engageable with said ribs, said mold members extending above said ribs substantially the height of said side walls..

6. In a liquid freezing device, a generally rectangular pan-shaped tray having a continuous bottom and upright side walls, said bottom being formed with a shallow longitudinal rib extending upwardly therefrom a distance materially less than the height of said side walls, said rib having integral end extensions continuing upwardly into a pair of opposite side walls, said bottom also being formed with shallow transverse ribs corresponding substantially in height to the height of the longitudinal rib and merging thereinto, said transverse ribs having integral end extensions continuing upwardly into a side wall or walls, and a plurality of mold members receivable within the tray and engageable with said ribs.

7. A liquid freezing device, comprising a panshaped tray havin a bottom and surrounding upright side walls, said bottom being formed with a shallow longitudinal rib extending upwardly therefrom a distance materially less than the height of said side walls, said bottom also being formed with a plurality of shallow transverse ribs extending upwardly therefrom and merging into the longitudinal rib and being of substantially the same height as the longitudinal rib at the regions of merger thereof, said transverse ribs being so spaced as to cooperate with the longitudinal rib and an adjacent wall of the tray to provide individual recesses for receiving separately removable liquid freezing receptacles, at least two sides of each recess defined by the ribs being lower than the surrounding wall of the tray whereby the individual receptacles may be separately removed by tilting a receptacle with its frozen contents relative to and toward one of said sides and a pluraity of separately removable liquid freezing receptacles adapted to rest on said bottom between said ribs and having upright side walls extending a substantial distance above said ribs with the lower portions engageable by the ribs to restrain displacement thereof.

DOUGLAS L. JOCELYN."

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the patented file of this patient:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,407,614 Wicks Feb. 21, 1922 1,909,030 Wheeland May 16, 1933 1,976,147 Smith, Jr Oct. 9, 1934 2,063,100 Johnsen Dec. 8, 1936 2,143,108 Geyer Jan. 10, 1939 2,415,451 Synnestvedt Feb. 11, 1943 2,367,098 Cole Jan. 9, 1945 2,389,317 Kitto Nov. 20, 1945 2,433,210 Gits Dec. 23, 1947 

